The present paradigms on statehood and state transformation being biased towards Western modernity, it being believed that it is a mistake to categorize recognition as either declaratory or constitutive when it is rather a combination of both, and considering the possibility of governance without the acquisition of statehood, this research, involves a detailed enquiry into the relationship between statehood and recognition and its significance, analyzes modern concepts like areas of limited statehood, brings out the problems with state as a fact approach, and an insight into the concept of state as it involved in different jurisdictions. They research article also looks into the role of international law as a stepping ladder or a stumbling block to state sovereignty for aspiring states, evolution of the concept of state in various jurisdictions and how similar/different are these practices, and the possibility of governance without acquiring statehood.